Australia II - the winner of the America’s Cup 1983
AMERICA’S CUP HISTORY 1983 - 2013
The boat was designed by Ben Lexcen, a real individual of
designers at that time.
The first time in history the AC was lost by the New York
Yacht Club to a challenger. After 132 years the trophy
moved to the Australian banker Allen Bond.
The secret of his 12-m yacht was a keel as appendage
with a wing of lead. This construction moved the
point of gravity down and improved her stability in
sailing and tackling.
The boat was designed by Ben Lexcen, a real individual of
designers at that time. His former name was Bob Miller
which one day he did not want any more. Rumours say that he
changed his name after making sure with Reader’s Digest
that a Lexcen was not in their customer list.
As the Australians had no testing tanks in the country they got the approval to use the facilities of the
Netherlands Ship Model Basin in Wageningen with their key technician Dr. P. van Oossanen.
Then the controversy started, because the competitors, as the NYYC claimed that the boat and the keel
have been designed by the Dutch institute and not by Lexcen. That fringes the Deed of Gift. All this
dispute with many actions from the defenders to eliminate Australia II was called “Keelgate” in
consequence of president Nixon’s Watergate.
